Key-tag.



C. E. BURNAP.

KEY TAG.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5. 1910.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (IO-,WASHINGTBN, D. c

C. E. BURNAP.

KEY TAG.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.5. 1910.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Wfircwses: 7

COL MBIA PLANOORAPH cO..WAsHlNuToN. D4 c.

pnrrnp s'rarns FATE CHARLES E. BURNAP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KEY-TAG.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. BURNAP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State to indicate other facts regarding his absence. 1

A further object of my invention is tosave the time, to reduce the labor, and to lessen the care required of the hotel clerk or other attendant in keeping account of the guests and of the instructions which they give him. At the present time, it is a common practice for the hotel clerk to write memoranda upon cards or the like when instructions are given to him by the guest, and to place these cards in the guests key-box, or elsewhere. practice for the guests themselves to make memoranda on cards, or the like, and to give them to the clerk. It is very commonly nec essary for the guests to await their turn when they Wish to give the clerk their in structions, as others maybe occupying his attention. It is evident that these various memoranda may be misplaced or may be hastily made and illegible, or open to various other objections. It is therefore clear that it isdesirable, if possible, to devise a uniform system by which these memoranda may be recorded, and by which a glance'of the hotel clerk will permit him to 'at once obtain the desired information when an in- Y quiry is made for a guest. It is a fact that a very large part of the memoranda above described consist of simple facts regarding the time in which a guest will return, the

particular part of the hotelin which the guest may be found, and other simple facts regarding his movements. a

In carrying out the above objects, iii ha been my endeavor to use the key itself as an important part of the means by which the problem is solved. In connection with the key I use the tag which is commonly Specification of Letters Patent.

It is also a common attached toit and upon which the number of the room is stamped. The tags commonly used on hotel keys are at present of a large size and the name of the hotel is printed thereon, as well as information regarding the postage required for returning the key should it be carried away by the guest. I have, therefore, endeavored to devise an indicator for the purposes above described which will have a form not greatly different from the keys and tags commonly in use, and which willhave the further merit of cheapness and simplicity. I have, therefore, preferred to use a tag of circular form on which I imprint a simple representation of a'clock-face with the hours indicated by the usual Roman numerals and with the hours divided into simple divisions. I have used the key as a hand or pointer which the guest may very conveniently attach to the tagin such a way as to indicate the time when he will return. I have also imprinted upon the face of the key-ta'gabout its outer edge the names of various parts of a hotel. I have provided be found. Other information may also be printed upon the face of the tag, which may be indicated by the secondary pointer.

. The above and other objects will be made apparent in the following specification and claims, taken in connection with the drawings, in 'which- Figure l is a front view of the device showing the face of the tag with thekey set to indicate a certain time and the secondary pointer to indicate a certain place.- Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side of the tag. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken approximately through the head of the key and the secondary pointer. Fig. 4 is a per-H spective viewof the device in which the key and tag are separated to permit the use of the key in its lock. Fig. 5 is a perspec- Patented Oct. 12, 1915. Application filed August 5, 1810. Serial No. 575,767. I

tive view, showing the key with its end inserted in a hole and about to be pressed into position upon the tag.

In the drawings, I have preferred to use a circular key-tag 10 of any suitable material, in which a circular row of holes 11 is drilled or punched. Adjacent every fourth hole within the circular row of said holes I have stamped one of the Roman numerals representing one of the twelvedivisions of the clock-face. I have preferably divided the hours into four equal parts by means of the said punched or drilled holes, though any number of divisions of the hour could be used. It will be seen that the distance between the cen ters of two adjacent holes represents a space of time of fifteen minutes. This I believe to be a sufliciently smalL division of the hour for practical purposes.

The key 12 is provided with a head or handle 13 which differs slightly from the ordinary forni in having an elongated portion 14: which terminates at a point 15. The point 15 is preferably turned at an angle and rounded in such manner as to be very .easilyl and quickly inserted in any one of the drilled holes 11.

At the point where the head 13 joins the shank 16, I have provided an aperture 17 into which is fixed the( bushing or sleeve 18.

' .This bushing or sleeve 18 is hollow or of .nected with his movements.

tubular form and serves as a means by which the key may be centrally disposed upon the tag in the manner of a clock-hand. The sleeve 18 is fitted to the split pin or flexible member 19 which is so mounted in the key-tag as to project therefrom at its center and to serve as a. yieldable post or pivot upon which the key may be placed. The split pin 19 is provided with flared or separated ends 19 and 19 which are normally separated to a distance slightly in excess of the diameter of the bore of the sleeve 18. The widest dimensions of the flared ends 19 and 19", as shown at 20 and 21, is at such a position that the flared ends form a shoulder which yieldably resists the removal of the key. The split pin 19 is preferably provided with the usual eye or loop 22 by which means it is held in place. It is permanently held in place by the short clip 23 which is passed through the loop 22 and which is riveted at its ends 2& to the key-tag.

Thus far I have described the construction of the parts which provide means for indicating the time at which the guest will return. I have further provided a means by which the guest may indicate the place where he may be found or other facts con- This is done by -means of the secondary pointer 25.

The secondary pointer 25 consists of a flat strip ofmetal which is pivoted to the 'the holes 11.

sleeve 18. The sleeve 18 is provided with a flange 26 to hold the secondary pointer 25 in place upon the key. The sleeve 18 is preferably expanded at its other end 27 in the beveled aperture 17 in the body of the key. The sleeve may, however, be fixed in any suitable manner to the key.

The secondary pointer 25 is provided with an aperture 28 which has the same radius from the center of the sleeve 18 as the circular row of holes 11. As above described, it will be understood that the secondary pointer 25 is pivoted to the key and may be rotated to a position lying above any one of A split key 29 is provided which may be inserted through the aperture 28 and into the particular hole 11 which lies adjacent to the name printed on the tag which indicates the particular part of the hotel in which the guest may be found. The split pin 29 is attached to a chain 30, which in turn is attached to the outer extremity 81 of the secondary pointer 25. By this means the pin 29 is permanently secured to the device and cannot be lost.

I have preferred to twist or turn the outer portion 31 of the secondary pointer v25 around to a position at right angles to the body of the pointer beyond the aperture 28. This will prevent covering too great a portion of the printed matter on the tag. It also serves as a spacing means by which the secondary pointer 25 is kept at a suitable distance away from the face of the tag.

In order to prevent separation of the key and tag when the parts are not in use for the purpose described, the chain 32 is provided. This chain is attached to the outer extremity 31 of the secondary pointer 25 at one end and at its other end is attached to the loop 22 of the pin 19. It will be seen that when the key and secondary pointer are not in use upon the face of the tag, the chain 32 serves to hold the parts together, and it will be further seen that the secondary pointer 25 is inefi'ect a link in the chain.

It will be seen that when the parts are separated and the device is not being used as an indicator that the key may be used in every respect in the same manner as hotel keys are now used. It will be further seen that it is impossible to use the key in open ing the door of the guests room until it has been removed from the tag. In this way the last setting as an indicator must be destroyed before it can be used to open the door, and hence no confusion can result from the previous setting.

The operation of my invention has already been largely referred to and it is thought will be quite clear from the above description. It may be further stated that when using the device as an indicator, the guest first inserts the rounded end of the angular projection 15 into the particular hole 11 which indicates the time at which he expects to return. He then presses the key downwardly upon the face of the tag directly across the center thereof. This movement will cause the sleeve 18 toslip down upon either side of the flared ends 19 and 19 of the pin 19 and to be yieldably retained against the face of the tag by the shoulders 20 and 21. The guest then takes hold of the outer extremity 31 of the secondary pointer 25 and rotates the said pointer to a position adjacent the name of the particular part of the hotel where he may be found; or he may rotate it to the printed matter on the tag which indicates such other information regarding his movements as he may desire to impart. He then inserts the split pin 29 through the aperture 28 in the secondary pointer 25 and into the proper hole 11 in the key-tag. The split pin 29 will obviously prevent displacement of the secondary pointer 25. y

The guest may perform the operations above described very quickly, and when passing out of the hotel, it is only necessary to leave his key, set as above described, with the clerk of the hotel or other attendant. Should an inquiry be made of the clerk or other attendant for the said guest the clerk has but to pick up the key and he can tell at once when the guest expects to return, the particular part of the hotel where he may be found, or such other information as may be indicated by the device. IVhen the guest returns, his key may be given to him in the usual manner, and before he can use it in the door of his room he must destroy the whole of the setting above described. The key is then sufficiently free from the tag to be used in unlocking the door. The chain 32 prevents complete separation of the parts.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, and the proportion of parts, and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a key, of a roomtag, and means for temporarily securing them in certain relative positions, said key and tag carrying indicia which by the cooperation of both key and tag can be made to furnish information.

2. In combination with a key, of a roomtag, said key and tag carrying indicia which by the cooperation of both key and tag can be made to furnish information, and means for temporarily securing them in certain cooperative relative positions, said key when thus oooperating being incapable of use with its lock.

3. In combination with a key, of aroomtag, said key and tag carrying indicia which by the cooperation ofboth key and tag can be made to furnish information, means for temporarily securing them in any one of certain cooperative relations, and connections between the key and the tag which permit their being brought in said varying cooperative relations, and prevent their being entirely separated.

I. In combination with a key carrying a pointer, of a room-tag carrying a plurality of indications with which the pointer'is adapted to cooperate one at a time, and connections between said key and tag which permit of their being set with the pointer cooperating with any desired one of the indications.

5. In combinationwith a key carrying a pointer, of a room-tag carrying two sets of indications, an auxiliary pointer, and connections between said key, tag and auxiliary pointer which permit of the two pointers being set in cooperation with any one of each of their respective sets of indications.

6. In combination with a key carrying a pointer, of a room tag carrying two sets of indications, an auxiliary pointer, and connections between said key, tag and auxiliary pointer which permit of the two pointers being set in cooperation with any one of each of their respective sets of indications,

said key when its pointer is thus cooperating being incapable of use with its lock because the tag prevents its insertion in the lock.

7. In combination with a key carrying a pointer, of a room-tag carrying two sets of indications, an auxiliary pointer, and connections between said key, tag and auxiliary pointer which permit of the two pointers being set in cooperation with any one of each of their respective sets of indications, but prevent the key and tag being entirely separated.

8. In a device of the character described, a tag having words or characters printed thereon, and key attached to said tag and having an indicating portion adjustable to cooperative relation with anyone of the words or characters, for the purpose described.

9. In a device of the character described, a key, a tag movably attached to said key, and means for securing said key and tag in certain relative positions in which said key and said tag are adapted to cooperate to 11. In a device of the character described, a dial element, a key adapted to serve as an indicating element with relation to said dial element, and means for holding said key in the desired position on said dial element.

12. In a device of the character described, a'dial element, a primary indicating element adapted to indicate particular Words or characters on said dial element, a flexible member joining said dial element and said indicating element, a secondary indicating element movably attached to said primary indicating element and adapted to indicate other Words or characters on said dial element.

13. In a device of the character described a dial element, a primary indicating element adapted to indicate particular words or characters on said dial element, a flexible member joining said dial element and said indicating element, means for holding said indicating element in position on said dial element, a secondary indicating element niovably attached to said primary indicating element and adapted to indicate other Words or char cters on the said dial element.

14-. In a device of the character described, a dial element, an indicating element adapted to cooperate with said dial element and also adapted'for use as a lock element for the door to a room, and means for temporarily securing said indicating and dial elements in certain relative positions.

15. In a device of the character described, a dial element, an indicating element adapted to cooperate with said dial element and also adapted for use as a lock element for the door to a room, said elements being adapted to prevent the use of the indicating element as a lock element when used as an indicating element, and means for temporarily securing said indicating and dial ele ments in certain relative positions.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

CHARLES E. BURNAP. Vitnesses: 1

ANNA L. WALTON, CARL A. RICHMOND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

